Member Since: 05 Dec 2007
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 1040
Caravan tyres
Now this is very confusing.........
We have a Bailey Pursuit 560-5 (2015) and I believe that the tyres need to be replaced every 7 years.
In the manual it states 185r14 104N
No mention of the Aspect Ration size.
If I do a measure on the existing tyres, the top of the rim to the top of the tyre is approx 130mm
So would I assume this to be ((130/185)x100) = 70 ????
Is 104 the load rating? is this quite high?.....most of the tyres I can see on line are '88'
So why not specify the tyres properly?????
Or Specify a tyre that you can actually buy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any suggestions???2000 D2 TD5 - big red tractor (2004-2007)
2006 D3 - sadly missed (2007-2012)
2010 D4 - lovely colour Nara Bronze (2012-2018)
2016 D4 - best of the bunch (2018-2024)
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1997 Def 90 - softtop (2011.........)
I may be wrong as "low profile" has become common (and lower !) over the years but ISTR that no profile given meant 80% ratio.
30th Jul 2021 9:19 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4537
^^ standard ratio is 80%. 185R14 is a perfectly acceptable description of the tyre.
Edit - search 185R14C this will give you load rated 'truck' tyres and caravan tyres. (the C doesn't mean caravan)Richard
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Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
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30th Jul 2021 9:29 am
James W
Member Since: 27 Mar 2008
Location: Riyadh, KSA
Posts: 3079
I replaced all mine due to age and as above just searched for the right size in standard terms on the major online/"fit on your driveway" places and the choices that came back were all clearly labelled as trailer / truck tyres online.
When they turned up they were actually identical to the old ones (Trailermaxx)
The biggest problem was despite me telling them online that it was a caravan, and buying caravan tyres, and calling them to confirm, the guy who turned up had never changed the tyres on a caravan and his air jacks wouldn't fit so I ended up having to help him using my trolley jack, and also helping him understand how the handbrake works so the caravan didn't roll away D4 XS, gone, much loved, never forgotten
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30th Jul 2021 9:43 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4537
Re: Caravan tyres
frenchy wrote:
Is 104 the load rating? is this quite high?.....most of the tyres I can see on line are '88'
PS. 88 load rated tyres are only good for 560 kg each. I think your van is more that 1200kg on a single axle?
Under rated tyres, or car tyres on a caravan are quite dangerous.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
30th Jul 2021 11:02 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
My caravan needed new tyres, and with its 1500 kg max weight, and being only a single axle, it needed commercial tyres. They were a bit more expensive and can run at the required 62 psi.
30th Jul 2021 11:56 am
kirkyworld
Member Since: 01 Mar 2016
Location: Northampton
Posts: 566
5 years seems to be the standard for caravan tyre replacement. That is the correct specification as stated. My twin axle runs standard load car tyres, I believe single axle run a heavier load rating. They are cheap compared to most car tyres.
30th Jul 2021 12:23 pm
jenseneverest
Member Since: 12 Jun 2017
Location: somewhere
Posts: 769
think i should worry about my 19 year old ones, they still look perfect ?
5 years seems extreme for very low mileage tyres.
30th Jul 2021 1:51 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
I had to replace mine, as I suddenly found I couldn’t fit the wheel clamp. The tyre had swollen around its circumference in the centre of the tread. It was 6 years old.
30th Jul 2021 2:39 pm
leeds
Member Since: 30 Aug 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 4316
Rubber in tyres degrade/age due to many factors which are in no particular order time, salt, UV, temperature etc.
Caravan tyre do relatively low mileage and often spend a long period of times stationary so they can develop a 'flat spot'.
We have our caravan serviced on an annual basis by a competent person and when tyres are about 7 years old we change them or when our caravan person tells us to change them.
How often do you hear a motorway closed due to overturned caravan etc. Replacing tyres every 7 odd years is cheaper than wiping your caravan out on 2 or 3 lane motorway causing how much carnage.
There again I do not have X ray eyes to tell me what the condition of the inside structure of the tyre is doing. Steel cords rusting away? Tyre delaminating etc.
Brendan
30th Jul 2021 5:31 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10360
I thought the tyre degradation caravans suffer from was from standing in one place and from sun/UV issues, but isn’t that now old hat given the makeup of more modern tyre compounds.
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30th Jul 2021 6:44 pm
jenseneverest
Member Since: 12 Jun 2017
Location: somewhere
Posts: 769
my thoughts too, besides mine is in a garage with the wheels off the ground when its stored. I meant to change them when last used, but covid had most places closed at the time, will do it for this years trip........ will be interesting to see if there is any damage when they come off.
30th Jul 2021 6:57 pm
beerbelly
Member Since: 07 Sep 2020
Location: teesside
Posts: 87
if your in an accident while towing your caravan one of the first things the insurance assesor of police depending on how serious the situation is will look at is age and condition of not only your car tyres but also the caravan tyres .its not law to change them but give an insurance company the slightest opportunity to back away from paying out and they will take it
https://forums.practicalcaravan.com/thread...yres.8981/
31st Jul 2021 5:50 am
Farmer Chalk
Member Since: 06 Mar 2013
Location: Independent Republic of Kentishshire.
Posts: 4197
We have a Ifor Williams horse box trailer and I was recently horrified upon a proper examination of the relatively new tyres ( - 6 yrs) the tread was perfect, the side walls were perfect but they had started to separate and delaminate where the tread met the carcass…
UV sun damage… it is particular prevalent with little use trailers….
31st Jul 2021 8:52 am
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
I was talking to a chemist who worked for Avon Rubber who explained to me that the rubber in tyres also needs to flex regularly to keep the rubber flexible and standing stationary for half the year does it no good at all and it will start cracking. I believe all the additives added to improve wet grip etc , has a negative effect on tyre life.
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